Cornered Winds
by Tenebras Lux
Summary: Everyone, has a journey; a path. This path includes both obstacles and clearances. Even the wind shares this journey.
1. CH 1: Childhood

Yooooo~ A disclaimer to start off with, to last for the entirety of this story. This is a League of Legends fanfiction; there will be appearances of characters (champions) from League of Legends. I _do not_ own these characters. They belong to Riot.

This story also may or may not make references to other fandoms. These are mere references; I do not own those characters either.

Yes, I realised that this is a very risky area to write in. As this mainly revolves around Yasuo's lore, there's going to be a shitload of you who aren't going to like it. Not that any of you will be here reading, of course. YES, THAT'S RIGHT. DON'T READ.

BUT. If you are going to read, I can't stop you.

Just. Leave. A. Fucking. Review.

And also... Happy new year to all!

* * *

_Everyone, has a journey; a path. This path includes both obstacles and clearances. Even the wind shares this journey._

* * *

**Childhood**

"I know you don't tell me much, but could you tell me why only I can see you?" the little boy asked out of curiosity. He was around six years, obviously childish and innocent. He had a wild nature, and discovered her a few days ago in the forest near home. Though he was of a wild nature, he was also charismatic, and they quickly became friends. She was a young girl who looked to be around his age. She wouldn't say much, but when she did, she spoke as if she were much older. She would always be there for him, especially when he got in trouble, and he got into trouble _a lot_. On that fateful day, the little boy had rushed home to tell everyone else at the village about his new companion, but no one else saw her, and they all thought him crazy.

"If," she started, pondering deeply. "If I tell you a bit about me, then you have to first give me a name."

"A name?" The boy asked, obviously confused. "Do you not have a name?"

The girl responded with a mere glance that said, "What do you think?"

"A name… I've never given anyone a name before. I don't know what kind of name to give you. Oh, I know! How about… Chihiro? Or Julie?"

"I don't like those names."

"Oh. My mummy's called Chihiro…"

"I know."

"You don't like 'Julie'?"

"No. Something… _wilder_."

"Then Doyle!"

"The writer?"

"Holmes!"

"The detective?!"

"Lupin!"

"Lupin… I like that."

"Drew Lupin."

"Okay. From here onwards, you shall refer to me as Lupin! Although, if it's you, a nickname will be fine, too," she grinned, allowing herself to relax.

"Lu! Tell me about you," the boy said, unable to bite back his interest any longer.

The girl danced around the trees in their surroundings, as if she were carried by the wind. Her simple white dress flowed as she danced, her long, near-white pale blue hair almost merging with her dress. Hopping over lightly, she sat on a low-hanging branch and offered the little boy to join her.

"Can you see those?" she asked.

"See what?"

"What you see as glowing specks in the air, are called katen. They are little 'specks' of life in the air. This movement is what you call 'wind'. Katen gather around people, and tend to collect around those who are compatible."

"What about you?"

"Certain katen are drawn towards certain people. If there is a lot of katen drawn towards a particular person like moths to light, this person is what we call a 'compat' – a compatible person. If there is a lot of katen, an entity such as myself, can be formed from the katen gathered around the compat." The girl thought better of speaking too much, then thought better of it again before continuing, "I'm sure you understand already, but only you can see me. I am the wind maiden Lupin."

"Drew Lupin," the boy cut in.

"Musashi!" Lupin snapped, gaining the boy's full attention again. "_The wind is in your favour_."

* * *

"I challenge you, Yasuo!" a young teen shouted. He wasn't that tall, but he was stocky. The boy he was challenging had a childish build, but was by no means weak.

The boy called Yasuo was once called Musashi. In a primitive attempt to calm his nature, the sword school he attended decided to rename him. To give him a name meaning 'peaceful.' It wasn't fitting, and the boy knew it. His hair was tied up in a messy manner, a simple brown tangle. Though he wore the same uniform as the other children, his eyes showed just how different he was. Instead of the tame look that the others possessed, his was of a desire to be free.

After much mock thought, Yasuo replied "I accept, Kazu." Upon entering the arena, both boys bowed to each other as they prepared for the fight.

The arena was nothing more than a small area of the dojo in which the children would compete. The rest of the class sat away as they watched intently. Lupin was there as well, as she always was. She didn't join in any way; she just sat and watched. She was a lot closer than the other children in the sword school, because she wasn't bound by the same restrictions as the human children. No, she knew that no could hurt her. No one could touch her. No one could confine her. She was the wind. The still wind in a room, if that existed. But she was there, and Yasuo knew that. That was enough for her.

They started when both boys lunged at the other, both hoping to make the first hit. Whilst Kazu was fast, Yasuo was faster, going for a clean hit which Kazu skilfully parried. This was to be expected; the children of the sword school were sorted into classes depending on age and skill level. It was natural for the other children to be around the same age, and obviously similar skill levels. Kazu was sixteen. Eiko was sixteen. Shibis was sixteen. Moira was fourteen. She was one of the younger students of the class. "The will of the gods," as many called her. But Yasuo, who looked to be twelve, was barely thirteen years of age. He was younger than the others, years ahead of those his own age. He was hailed as a prodigy, "breathing life" into the shinai with a single touch.

The match ended when Yasuo employed a feint to the arm, but instead landed a solid hit on the chest, deftly knocking Kazu over. Yasuo towered over Kazu as he pointed his shinai towards Kazu's heart, mimicking what would be the killing blow in a real fight. Yasuo offered a hand for Kazu to stand up, and the class applauded as the two boys faced each other and bowed again.

Lupin joined Yasuo as he took his break.

"You're getting reckless," she simply said.

Yasuo made no attempt of a reply, much less so of an argument. If he did, people would think that he had gone crazy again. He had gotten used to her comments, and he knew that she did not expect a reply. Instead, he grabbed his towel in an attempt to wipe of his sweat.

Anyone who could have seen the pair would have thought them odd. The class consisted mainly of sixteen to seventeen year olds, and yet there was a thirteen year old boy leaning against the wall, and a girl who looked to be perhaps ten years of age.

"Yasuo! That was a great match!" Moira greeted, obviously excited. She was the only person in the class who was close to Yasuo's age, and Yasuo was the only one with an age close to hers.

"Thanks," Yasuo replied, but not before finishing his drink.

"You're great at kendo! You always win."

"You're great, too, especially for a girl."

Moira pouted, and chose her words carefully. "Girls are not weaker than men."

Yasuo hesitated before replying. "I accept."

"That was not a challenge! It was a proclamation," Moira half whined, half laughed. "I've fought all the boys in our class and I've won against all of them except for you."

"'Moira, the will of the gods'. Somehow, I feel like you'd be better off as a councillor than a warrior. Better yet, an elder!"

"Even an elder will need to protect herself."

"Those guards are not just for show."

"Haha, even so, I'm sure that it'll be a great advantage being an elder _and _a warrior of speed and grace."

Yasuo simply laughed. "Ionia needs a leader like you. I'll help you get there."

Moira looked into his eyes, and whispered. "With you by my side, we'll be unbeatable."

* * *

"Look, little brother, look at Ryogei. He's cleaving entire trees with a single swing." Yone sat in the shade of a lone tree, facing a forest and watching Ryogei from afar.

"How did you know I was here?" Yasuo asked, still walking towards his brother. "Brother, I am not little anymore."

"A steel sword speaks much more than you think it does. You should listen to it," Yone laughed, gesturing towards his sword which had its tip embedded in the earth. "You will always be little to me, brother. Say, what do you think you'll do when you're older? I suppose only time will tell. You have a promising future ahead, though, brother." Yone was a philosophical child, often spacing out pondering deeply about life. Yasuo, on the other hand, had always been the energetic and too fast for such thoughts to keep up.

"The future's the future, brother! Worry about now!" Pulling out his brother's sword, Yasuo headed over to Ryogei.

"Brother! Do not do anything foolish."

Ryogei was a man who took things seriously. Evidence of the years of hard work was visible just below the skin in the arms, the shoulders, calves and the abdominals. Ryogei had purpose. He was gathering wood to make a boat for the children to play in. Yasuo was conceited. He wanted to prove himself.

"Watch me, Lu!" Yasuo cried excitedly. "I'm going to cut that tree. I know what you want to say. 'Don't be conceited.' But don't be so dull. It's not a big tree. Just a small tree."

"Weird sense of size you've got there, Yas."

"Haha, very funny."

Tightening his grip on the sword, Yasuo made a large swing at the 'small' tree. Yone, who watched from afar, saw that the blade had pierced the bark, but it definitely wasn't even a deep cut. Disappointed and embarrassed, Yasuo dropped his blade.

"Boy, let me share something with you. In my younger days, I practiced my sword techniques on these trees. As I got older and more used to it, my strikes gradually became stronger. Perhaps when you grow older, you will be able to cleave trees like me. It took me years of dedication and harsh training before I was able to do something like this. More than that, it took _understanding_." Ryogei gave Yasuo a warm smile, offering encouragement.

Yone, who had witnessed the event, made his way over to Yasuo and Ryogei. He greeted Ryogei, and picked up his sword before turning his attention to his brother. "Perhaps we should go home now, brother. Rest your mind."

Yasuo, feeling down, meekly followed his older brother.

"Ah, do you feel that nice breeze, brother?" Yone asked, breaking the silence between them.

"Yes. It is nice, isn't it?" Yasuo replied nonchalantly.

"I like this breeze," Lupin chimed. "The air here is rich in katen." She was heard only by Yasuo, even though the forest nearby echoed her words. To her and Yasuo, it was obvious. To many other humans, it was not. Although no one else could see the katen, some can still sense that katen's presence.

"Yasuo," Yone started, looking straight into his brother's eyes, before looking away to the side, into the forest. "Does the wind flee, or does it follow?"

Lupin froze, as she felt Yone's eyes staring straight at her. No, he was staring though her, for surely he wasn't able to see her. Lupin still found it unnerving how Yone seemed to be looking _at _her, and not _through_ her. Whilst she certainly wasn't comfortable with people looking through her, she was on edge when there were people other than Yasuo looking at her. It felt like the question was indirectly accusing her, and coupled with the fact that Yone was looking at her, she felt like the focus of the question.

"Just think about it, little brother." Yone said, as he turned around continued on his way home.

Lupin was still recovering from shock even though Yone's gaze was torn away. She followed Yasuo as she usually did, but without her usual superior, all-knowing demeanour.

* * *

"Lu, what do you think they meant?" Yasuo asked, lying down and staring at the straw ceiling of his hut. He seemed distracted, as if he were counting the number of straws.

Lupin ran her hand along the wooden planks that made the walls. "What do you mean?"

"About what Ryogei and Yone said. Brother said 'rest your mind', but he also gave me a strange look. Ryogei said 'understanding.' What do they mean?"

Lupin gave a barely audible sigh before replying, "Who knows?"

Yasuo heard it, but he chose to ignore it. "You know, don't you." It wasn't even a question. A simple statement, probing Lupin for answers. He wanted to know.

Lupin turned around to face Yasuo. She thought carefully, as gave a one worded response that couldn't even be considered a proper answer. "Humility."

"Brother! Supper's ready!" Yone called.

"Oh Yasuo, I haven't seen you all day! You didn't even eat the lunch I packed for you!" a woman crooned. Her long brown hair was tied up in a neat bun, and she wore traditional dark Ionian garments. "You must be hungry, dear, have some more," she smiled warmly.

"Sorry mother," was Yasuo's mumble of a reply. He was dazed by a light sense of guilt, but it did not last long. "Delicious! Mother always makes the best food!"

* * *

Yasuo attended his future classes with a renewed spirit. His eagerness to learn the way of the sword was renewed, as was his attention span. Yasuo tried hard to view everything in a new light, and it worked well.

Yasuo needed only see a technique once to be able to understand it. Only try twice to use it. Only three weeks to master. As Yasuo's repertoire of sword techniques increased, his mobility, and affinity with the sword also increased. He and the sword were one, inseparable and insuperable.

As the years went by, Yasuo took the title of 'strongest warrior'. The title was especially appropriate as Yasuo was the only one in generations to master the wind. He had discovered his ability to manipulate the wind to his will when he was fifteen. An understanding in katen allowed him to manipulate the air effectively, and thus becoming able to create wind wherever and whenever he wanted it.

"Katen, huh…" Yasuo muttered, as he recalled events from almost ten years prior. He looked to Lupin, who had matured significantly since two years prior. "How old are you really?"

"Nine." Lupin said flatly.

Yasuo scoffed in near-disbelief as he laughed. "Nine? You looked like you were ten two years ago. Now you look like you're my age again."

Lupin stared at him coldly, but soon warmed up as she retorted with a bright smile, "Then that means you're still not good enough. Well, at least I don't look like I'm six."

By sixteen, Yasuo had learnt all the techniques the school had to offer, and refined them to a near-perfect state. By seventeen, he had redeveloped all the wind techniques that bedtime stories had to offer about the sword masters of the old. Of course, Lupin has made a significant contribution to his development concerning the wind; she was the wind. By eighteen, Yasuo had perfected all his techniques, and had grown very impetuous and boastful. His ego had inflated considerably, whilst his patience dwindled.

"Yasuo! You really are the best!" Moira would often say. It was praise such as this that inflated Yasuo's ego the most.

"Thank you, Yasuo."

"We couldn't have done it without you, Yasuo."

"You're a good man, Yasuo."

Yasuo was among the best in Ionia. He understood that quite well. He also knew that everyone else understood it. The praise certainly didn't help with his ego. His mastery over the wind was clear to himself. His wind maiden was at her physical peak strength-wise, which was displayed by her physical peak appearance-wise. He thought that it really was too bad that others couldn't see her; she really was a sight to behold. His mastery over the wind was clear to everyone else, too. Those around him could see the wind at his feet, propelling him through the air, pushing him to where no man has gone before.

* * *

"Brother, come. I want to show you something."

Yone led the way through the forest, picking his path carefully. Yasuo wanted to run; run over the rocks, the roots, and any other tripping hazards of the forest floor. He knew the west side of the forest well, all the way up to the river. He first met Lupin there, twelve years ago, and it was where she liked to stay. But Yasuo had never been to the east side. Neither he nor Lupin were interested in looking at trees, only in the shade and serenity they offered.

"Why did you stop, brother?"

"Little brother, we're here." Yone gestured towards the tree they had stopped in front of.

"Is that a maple tree? In a forest like this?" Yasuo's vague interest quickly dissipated.

"Yes, but there is something more I'd like to show you. Wait here, little brother." Yone awkwardly clambered up the tree, evidently not used to performing such trivial acts. Finding it easier just to hop off the branch he was on, Yone landed with a soft thud. "Brother, look."

"A seed?"

"Yes, little brother. A maple seed."

"I know what you want to say. The maple seed is our school's highest lesson in humility. You fear I have forgotten my honour. Brother, let me assure you, that is not so." Taking the maple seed, Yasuo turned around. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to leave now."

Yone watched as Yasuo until he walked and was no longer visible behind the trees. "A seed is just a seed, brother," Yone said to no one in particular, for Yasuo had already left. "But it holds so much potential. You did not stop to admire the tree, brother. Look at how beautiful it is, and look at the seemingly insignificant seed. There are many seeds, brother. But there is only one maple tree here. Brother, have patience. Do not rush."

* * *

Well, we all know what comes next. Sorry about that, folks.

A/N: I feel like Yasuo comes from a traditional Ionian village (which may still use ancient Ionian?), which is very much based off ancient Japan. Thus, the names and the concept of a samurai's code of honour would make much more sense. Bound by this setting, I have used the Japanese term '_shinai'_ (竹刀) in my story. This is just a note for anyone who didn't know; a shinai is a flexible, bamboo practice sword used in kendo. A '_bokken' _(木剣) is a wooden training sword. A bokken is less damaging than a real sword, and a shinai much less damaging than a bokken. (A bokken, when used properly, can be lethal.)

You may (or likely, may not) be thinking, 'Then what the hell is katen?' Yes, really. What the hell is katen. It's a word I made, derived from '_**ka**__ta_' (片 as a prefix), meaning 'one', or '_hira'_ (片 as a suffix), meaning '_flake; wisp_', and '_**ten**_' (点), meaning '_point_' (as in a dot **and **scoring-wise). The term is a collective term, akin to 'air', and meant to be used in the same way. Just to clarify: it is, the ability to manipulate katen that grants the user the ability to manipulate air. A bit of random trivia for fun: '_katen_' (加点), as a Japanese word, means '_the addition points'_, which can also be understood as '_scoring'_. Anyone here know about Bleach? I just realised that (Shunsui) Kyouraku's Zanpaktou is called 'Katen Kyoukotsu' (花天狂骨; Flower Heaven, Mad Bone).

Just in case you've read this… it means that you've read the story, no? In that case… Won't you kindly leave a review for this chapter? It doesn't even have to be much. All you have to say is whether or not you liked it. But before you criticise it, please make sure that it is constructive criticism, and not "Your story sucks because I hate Yas." Thanks!


	2. CH 2: Failure

A/N: If I update within a fortnight, I'm pretty happy.

Too bad I didn't.

Well, we'll make it once a month. Maybe. Probably not even. Not that it matters.

* * *

**Failure.**

When the following day came, it was no surprise that the best swordsman, Yasuo, was charged with the task of protecting the elder, Kaiser. It was a modest guard post, nothing too fancy, but still very much significant. He was proud, obviously. His brother was a bit envious, but proud of him nonetheless.

Yone understood full well where Yasuo may have fallen short of his predecessors. Certainly nothing in terms of skill with the sword, but perhaps in the nature of a true swordsman; patience and virtue. Yone worried for Yasuo, but put his faith in that Yasuo would learn these qualities during his time as a guard. He considered the maple seed. Surely it would guide Yasuo on the right path in times of need. Surely… Surely a lot of things. He looked at his brother.

"I'm going now! Can't be late on the first day!" Yasuo laughed. He carried with him an aura of joy and excitement that seemed to lift the spirits of those around him as well. Yone grinned. The happiness was definitely contagious.

"Have a safe trip, brother."

In a flash, the brother who stood in front of Yone less than a second ago was gone. Yasuo had flown over to the temple. Quite literally, in fact. The wind at his feet pushed harder than ever; a gale was felt by those around who could see him, and even those who couldn't. No longer restricted to running on solid ground, Yasuo had taken what may be perceived as a "shortcut" up to the temple on the hill. A shortcut indeed; one that no one else would be able to utilise. It seemed a miracle to any bystander – a young man rising into the skies, running forwards (and upwards), with dutiful purpose.

"Elder Kaiser!"

"Yasuo! Perfect timing – join me for tea." What the elder called tea was just that. Tea. Green tea to be precise, but tea. And only tea.

They shared a long and not-so-meaningful conversation, in which the elder would comment on how Yasuo had grown as a man, and how he still didn't fit his name. The conversation soon shifted to how Yasuo was selected for the job, and just what the nature of the job was. In actuality, Yasuo held the position of the elder's personal guard. It wasn't an official position, just something to further safeguard the elder without bringing about too much attention.

The elder presented Yasuo with a new sword adorned with patterns associated with the wind, as well as armour decorated in a similar pattern. It was all too fitting for the warrior of the wind. Yasuo was told to bring his new sword to his post every day, but not necessarily the armour as it would cause too much of a fuss.

The next few days were long and slow. Yasuo shared a few games of chess with the elder. Mainly because the elder wanted company, and he needed to pass the time.

"To make good decisions, one must keep the future in mind," Kaiser said. It wasn't something he said once or twice, but rather, quite frequently. "If you can win a game of chess against me, you'll do well in life."

Perhaps this was said to encourage Yasuo. Perhaps not. All that Yasuo knew was that he hated chess, and more than that, he hated losing. But it was a game of chess that the elder wanted to play; a game of chess that he did not care much for. He instead decided to repress his desire to unsheathe his sword and cut everything up as a form of stress relief, and composed himself.

Throughout the games, the elder kept stressing the need to think ahead. The need to think several steps ahead, or at least one ahead of your opponent. To understand what it was that your opponent desired. And how to stop them from getting it.

Yasuo paid little attention to the usual little happenings as the days went by. They were repetitive, but worse, they were boring. Being a peaceful little village in the peace-loving city-state of Ionia, there was little need for guards. There was essentially no danger. Arts were practiced for the sake of tradition, as a pastime, as a skill, as a means of further enlightenment. What Yasuo longed for was the rush of wind and the thrill in his blood as he exchanged sword strikes with his opponent.

The words of the elder were repetitive. Soon, they became nothing more than incoherent mumblings to Yasuo. He did not become any better in his chess games, rather, he became worse. The game became nothing more than a blur in his mind. The elder abruptly stood up, snapping Yasuo out of his trance.

"Elder! Where are you going?"

"I am going out for a bit of fresh air. Yasuo, it will do you good to come as well."

On the highest balcony, the wind blew cool and crisp. The words of the elder came out softer than usual, and with a sense of what Yasuo may have mistakenly heard as remorse.

"Can you see the village, Yasuo?" Without waiting for a reply, the elder continued. "To make good decisions, one must keep the future in mind. Be it decisions for the good of the village, for oneself, for one's family and friends, one must understand the consequences." After that, the elder didn't say a word. He merely stood at the balcony, watching over his village.

* * *

Yasuo barely remembered his first day on the job, even though it was barely a week ago. He had been so excited. Now, he trudged his way over to the temple in the early morning.

"Yasuo? Why do you look down?" It was Moira who spoke. Of course it was – if it wasn't Yone or mother, it was Moira who spoke out of concern about the small things.

"So that I don't trip over!" Yasuo laughed. "Did you want me to look at the skies when I'm walking instead?"

"You know I don't mean that." Moira did not push any further. Instead, she tried to change the topic. "I see that you're early."

"Of course I'm early! But what I'd like to know is: why are _you_ so early?"

Moira hurriedly turned her face away. "That's none of your business!"

"Out racing the foxes again?"

"I'll beat them, soon. Just you wait. Then I'll beat you!" Moira turned back to look at Yasuo with enthusiasm showing in her eyes. "Bye now!" A second later, and she was little more than speck in the distance.

"You're already faster than me," Yasuo grinned, as he made his way over to the temple in a better mood.

As Yasuo neared the temple, he noticed that the elder was outside on this particular morning. He hurriedly greeted the carers of the temple as well as the four guards before greeting the elder.

"I see that you're taking the long route – the normal route. Not going to head for the skies on this fine day today?" the elder joked. "Don't tell me that perhaps you have lost interest in our little talks."

"No, no, not at all!" Yasuo replied with a pang of guilt. Of course the elder would know.

Yasuo followed the elder up to the second floor of the temple, where the elder preferred to stay, unless he was watching over the village on the third floor.

"Noxus will invade Ionia."

"Noxus? But they are warring with Demacia!"

"They will split their forces between Demacia and us."

"Then they'll lose to Demacia. Demacia is as strong as Noxus. If they split their forces…"

"Perhaps."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I feel that Noxus' invasion will not be an ordinary war."

Yasuo's fate was doomed when Noxus invaded. As the elder had predicted, Noxus had indeed invaded Ionia. Warriors from all over Ionia were dispatched to the area of conflict. Yasuo knew that his duty was to protect the elder, and remained at the temple.

Yasuo spent his sleepless night with fleeting thoughts about whether he should go help the resistance and turn the tables. A little time away from the temple wouldn't do any harm, right? After all, there hadn't been a problem for decades. But then again, this was a crucial time, and the elder had to be protected no matter what. No, because this was a crucial time, he had to help.

Before even the break of dawn, Yasuo had set off to the battle. He would be quick, going straight for the boss, and head back. All he had to do was damage the soldiers' morale. Yes, Yasuo had thought this through. The elder had always said that he needed to think of the future. And so when the boss was slain, surely the rest of the battle would flow in the favour of the Ionians. He would make it quick, and be back by early morning. No one would even know he had gone. The chances of him meeting someone from his village were slim, as Ionians from across the entire island had gathered to repel Noxus.

Although it was unfortunate that battle wasn't far from home, it also meant that it took less time for Yasuo to get there. The battle, which had lasted through the night, was fought by fatigued warriors from both sides. Still, they fought in glorious combat, for reasons that each side believed true. Yasuo would have the upper hand in a one to one fight. Though he had not slept, he had rested and more importantly, didn't fight through the night. He would have more strength and stamina.

Yasuo cut his way through the Noxian soldiers, treating them as nothing more than straw dummies. He found what he was looking for; a man who looked decidedly more important than the other soldiers. A man who was clad in heavy armour, a flashy red cape and a solid axe for a weapon. A man who carried with him the weight of responsibility. A man who knew what he was doing.

Yasuo charged in, hoping to catch his opponent off guard with unaccounted for strength from the Ionian side. He thrust his sword forward, into the back of his opponent. His opponent, however, showed no signs of injury. Instead, he showed only a maniacal grin, and a swing of an axe.

It took much of Yasuo's energy to make a dodge away from the physical range of the axe, but he still felt the brunt of the swing. "So this is what it's like to fight a real warrior," he muttered. Even though Yasuo was out of reach, a cut had appeared horizontally on Yasuo's face, on his nose and just missing both his eyes.

Yasuo's opponent was strong, and he knew this. But Yasuo was agile, and much more so than his heavily armoured opponent. He would use his mobility to his advantage. He thrust his sword at his opponent yet again, hopped back and thrust again, this time sweeping his opponent off his feet. Yasuo lunged forward, striking down his enemy.

To Yasuo's horror, his opponent stood back up, appearing quite unfazed. He pulled himself together and prepared for a counterattack. With one swift movement, Yasuo's opponent thrust out his axe, twisted it, and pulled it back in, bringing Yasuo as well. "Noxus will prevail!"

He swung his axe again, cutting Yasuo deeply across the abdomen. Yasuo, who foolishly wore no armour at all, was injured easily by the oversized axe. His opponent, however, was not injured nearly as much, despite taking numerous hits from Yasuo.

Yasuo cursed under his breath as he retreated. He would have to inform the elder of this. Though he didn't like it, Yasuo reminded himself that his duty was to guard the elder, and that he had spent too much time of the battlefield already. That, and he was not prepared for war. The way they fought was different, the weapons the used, the way they moved. It was all too different, and nothing he had trained for.

Clutching his abdomen and holding back the pain with pure willpower, Yasuo ran back to the temple. Again, he was grateful that it was so close. Dashing up the stairs, Yasuo yelled. "Elder Kaiser!"

To his dismay, there was no reply. The temple was quite. Much too quiet. It was in a secluded area of the village, and there weren't many distracting sounds, but there should be the usual chattering of the other guards over the wine. There was none of that. There should have been the sound of the elder muttering to himself, or at least the sound of him snoring in the corner somewhere. There was none of that, either. Desperate, Yasuo checked every room, leaving a trail of his own blood. "Elder!"

On the third floor, in a room which the elder rested often, Yasuo found the elder. But it was not as it should have been – the elder was not sleeping out of his own will, but because he was slain. Yasuo let out a scream of despair.

Yasuo didn't know what to do. He was all alone, isolated from the rest of the village, from the rest of the world. It was a huge blow to his ego to know that he was too weak to fight against an enemy general. To know that he had to retreat. But above all else, because of his pride, he wasn't there to protect the elder.

Carrying the body of the elder, Yasuo rushed to the medicine woman at the village. She lived on the edge of the village, in an equally secluded area. Taking a shortcut through the forest that only he knew, Yasuo hoped that no unnecessary attention would fall on him.

"Heoma! Please help!" Yasuo's desperate cries filled the small hut in which the medicine woman Heoma dwelled in.

"Yasuo, what happened this time?" A warm voice replied. A plump figure appeared from the back section of the hut, carrying an assortment of herbs.

"The elder…"

Dropping her herbs, Heoma rushed to his side. "Quickly, put him here." She guided Yasuo to a propped up table which she used to treat her patients.

Yasuo laid down the elder, his heart sinking as he asked, "Can you help him?"

Heoma took only a second to analyse and process the state of the village's elder. With two fingers, she expertly checked for a pulse, and felt for the warmth of his body.

"No… It seems that Kaiser has passed away a while ago. Yasuo, do you know what happened?"

"No, I…" Yasuo was cut off. He looked at Heoma with a guilt ridden face.

"Three strikes…" Heoma mumbled. She cleared her throat and continued. "I see. Yasuo, you're injured as well. You should be treated. Lie down over here," Heoma gestured to a second table before leaving.

The medicine woman smelt strongly of strange scents unknown to Yasuo. Her understanding of the various herbs was great, and she could kill a healthy man with them just as easily as she could heal an injured man.

When Heoma reappeared, she carried a strange mixture which she used to treat Yasuo's wound. It stung, but Yasuo bit back his protest. She finished off by wrapping the affected area in bandages, keeping in the medicine, and lowering the chances of infections.

"I'm glad you're alright, Yasuo. You should rest. I'll report this. The district council should arrive by tomorrow afternoon for your sentence."

As Heoma had stated, the district council arrived just before noon. It seemed that she had sent a messenger bird to deliver the news. The district council honoured the elder's passing with a tradition funeral, which was held in conjunction with an early funeral of the fallen warriors and the slain guards. The bodies were placed in small wooden boats and sailed into the sea, then set ablaze by talented archers. The bodies and the souls of the people would then be returned back to the land and the sea.

The funeral occurred at dusk, with the last of the sun's rays. The flames danced over the ocean as they faded away with the sunlight in preparation for the new day. Yasuo spent his time mourning for the loss of the elder, grieving over his own shortcomings, and lamenting over his friends who were no more.

At daybreak, Yasuo was called for by the district council. He met Heoma there, who asked if he could be treated first. She quickly washed out the gunk from the previous day and reapplied the medicine. She quickly bandaged Yasuo again, who was surprised by the lack of pain, and much more so at the rate of healing.

In a makeshift meeting area, a disgraced Yasuo hung his head in guilt as he admitted to the dereliction of his post. He stated that he was prepared to pay for his failure with his life. The council stated that he was dismissed until further notice. Yasuo decided that there wasn't anything that he particularly wanted to do there, so he thought that perhaps he could listen in on what the council was saying.

On an overhanging tree, Yasuo spent the afternoon unnoticed, alone and unwanted.

* * *

A/N: LOL the elder has nothing to do with Mordekaiser…. Or does he? Huehuehuehuehue.


End file.
